Guest Post

Jed Leishman:
It’s a great opportunity for me to be able to post here on the blog of a good friend of mine. Scott and I go back a long ways and I appreciate the opportunity he’s given me to share a little bit about my life in the fitness and nutrition world. To introduce myself, my name is Jed Leishman. I’ve been a Certified Personal Trainer in St. George, Utah for the past 3 years. Also this past year I competed in my first natural bodybuilding competition (The Grand Teton Invitational), winning my division and placing 3rd in the overall. Recently I signed on with Wilhelmina Models as a Fitness Model which has been interesting yet rewarding. The modeling industry is a whole other world in itself.

I was always fit growing up. I never had a problem staying lean. In fact, you could say growing up I was more of a hard gainer. In High School I tried to put on weight for football but I had such a fast metabolism at that age that it was tough to do so. After I got married in 2003 my metabolism changed. It’s funny how as we get older the good ol’ metabolism just kind of slows down. We continue to eat whatever we want yet we’re not near as active as we were growing up. Therefore the weight just slowly seems to pack onto our frames. About a year after I was married I could see myself going down that path and I decided to do something about it. I’ll never forget sitting on my couch watching Rambo II on TV and I could not get over how ripped Sylvester Stallone was at 40 something years old. It was then I decided to get back to the gym. His physique inspired me and I knew that as I got older I wanted to be able to do all the things I did when I was younger. I want to be able to keep up with my kids when I’m 50; getting older scares the hell out of me. The rest is history and over the last 5 years I’ve never missed a day at the gym….accept for those well needed rest days.

Getting results at the gym all starts with commitment, consistency and patience. One has to realize that fitness is a way of life, not just a 4 month stint of getting into shape and then quitting altogether. I really could go on for days about fitness and nutrition, and maybe at some point I’ll have more opportunities to post more of my ideas and theories but to keep things short, the one thing I think will get some of the quickest results is food timing. In a way, it’s not about what you eat but more importantly when you’re eating it. I always keep my carbs centered around my workouts and early in the day and taper them as the day goes on. I keep it simple, fruits, grains, and protein before 3pm, and more protein and veggies after 3 pm, all while taking in over a gallon of water each day. It’s important to get a small dose of slow burning carbs before your workout for energy and to spark fat burn and a moderate dose of fast burning carbs after your workout (within 30 minutes) to restore glycogen and aid in muscle repair. There are a few supplements out there that I personally like that I feel have aided me in getting fast, efficient results. Keep in mind there are many gimmicks out there. The safest thing is to stick with simple supplements that have been proven over time. One of my personal favorites is L-Arginine for increased growth hormone output, better oxygen delivery to the muscles, and an increased blood supply to the muscles to aid in recovery, which also gives that nice “pump” that most bodybuilders rant and rave about. Another one of my favorites is a daily dose of Glucosamine Chondroitin whereas over years of lifting my joints get achy from time to time. Also, I think it’s important to get a good dose of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) immediately after your workout with your post workout meal. This will also aid in the repair of the muscles you’ve just torn to shreds. One thing that is important to remember, 90% of your results come from what you do outside of the gym as far as nutrition and recovery. All you’re doing while at the gym is tearing the muscle down. The growth comes from whether you properly nourish the muscles you’ve damaged.

Once again I appreciate the opportunity post on this blog. Remember, commitment, consistency, and patience…..and whatever you do….GO HARD!